1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door holding device for wedging a door relative to a ceiling. More specifically, the present invention relates to a door holding device for wedging a door relative to a ceiling for preventing the door from falling over for painting and drying purposes.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
In the construction industry, when a house is built, the carpenters typically hang the doors prior to having the doors painted. Consequently, a painter will often remove the door by extracting the hinge pins and will prop the door against a wall for painting. When one side of the door is painted, the door must be turned over for painting the other side. The aforementioned procedures are time consuming and the turning over of a freshly painted door often causes marking or smudging of the paintwork.
The present invention enables a painter to wedge the door open by means of a device which extends between the top of the door and the ceiling. The device may be positioned between the top of the door and the ceiling when the hinge pins have been removed. Alternatively, the door may be wedged in the open disposition thereof while hinged to the door frame.
Additionally, the device according to the present invention is particularly applicable for assisting a painter in painting both sides of a door without having to turn the door. However, the present invention is equally useful in wedging a window or other object relative to a ceiling for simplifying the painting thereof.
Therefore, it is a primary feature of the present invention to provide a door holding device that overcomes the problems associated with the prior art door painting arrangements.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a door holding device that is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use.
A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a door holding device that enables a painter to easily paint both sides of a door without any need to turn the door.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention contained herein.
The present invention relates to a door holding device for wedging a door relative to a ceiling for preventing the door from falling over for painting and drying purposes. The device includes a tubular member having a first and a second end. A biasing device having a first and a second extremity is disposed within the tubular member so that the first extremity of the biasing device abuts against the first end of the tubular member. A piston having a first and a second termination is slidably disposed within the tubular member so that the first termination of the piston abuts against the second extremity of the biasing device such that the piston is urged by the biasing device axially away from the first end of the tubular member. A door engaging fastener is rigidly secured to the first end of the tubular member such that in use of the device, the door engaging fastener is disposed between the door and the first end of the tubular member. A ceiling pad is connected to the second termination of the piston for engaging the ceiling. The arrangement is structured such that in use of the device, when the device is positioned between the door and the ceiling, the biasing device urges the door engaging fastener against the door and the ceiling pad against the ceiling so that the door is wedged and prevented from swinging or falling over so that painting of the door is permitted.
In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the tubular member is of cylindrical configuration and is fabricated from metal.
Furthermore, the biasing device is a compression spring and the piston is a cylindrical tube which has an outside diameter and the tubular member has an inside diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of the cylindrical tube so that sliding of the piston within the tubular member is permitted.
Also, the door engaging fastener includes a cap which is secured to the first end of the tubular member and a plurality of spikes extend axially away from the cap and away from the first end of the tubular member.
The ceiling pad includes a block having a first and a second face, the first face being connected to the second termination of the piston. A resilient pad is secured to the second face of the block for contacting the ceiling and for preventing slippage of the device relative to the ceiling.
In one aspect of the present invention, a connector having a proximal and a distal end is arranged with the proximal end being secured to the second termination of the piston, the distal end defining a ball coupling. The first face of the block defines a socket for the swivelling reception therein of the ball coupling. The ceiling pad is arranged such that when the door engaging fastener is urged against the door, swivelling of the resilient pad and block is permitted so that engagement of a cathedral ceiling by the resilient pad is achieved.
The device also includes a handle which is connected to the tubular member. The handle includes a U-shaped member, the U-shaped member having a base. A first and a second arm extend from the base the first arm having a first and a second end. Also, the second arm has a first and a second termination. A hand grip has a first and a second extremity, the first extremity of the hand grip being secured to the second end of the first arm. The second extremity of the hand grip is secured to the second termination of the second arm.
A saddle has a first and a second end and the saddle cooperates with the base of the U-shaped member so that the tubular member is fixedly disposed between the saddle and the base.
Additionally, the first end of the saddle defines a head, the second end of the saddle defining a hole. The base of the U-shaped member defines a slot for the engagable reception therein of the head. The base also defines an aperture which is aligned with the hole. A threaded fastener extends through the hole and the aligned aperture so that when the threaded fastener is tightened, the tubular member is locked between the saddle and the base so that axial adjustment and fastening of the handle relative to the tubular member is permitted.
Many modifications and variations of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, such modifications and variations fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.